Dual-Function Intelligent Prosthetic Foot

描述（由申请人提供）：该项目的长期目标是开发假肢脚技术，可以在行走和站立任务中发挥不同的功能。虽然目前的假肢对于特定的任务（例如行走，跑步或站立）非常有效，但截肢者通常必须选择单一假肢才能在所有日常活动中实现合理的良好表现。这导致了一种妥协，因为行走的生物力学要求与站立的生物力学要求不同。由于行走和站立是日常执行的两种最常见的功能任务，因此双功能假脚可以在两种生物力学行为模式之间切换。所提出的生物力学行为包括不同的脚底形状和行走和站立的刚度。在行走过程中，脚有效地在地面上滚动，这是由凸形脚底形状促进的运动。在站立时，需要一个稳定的支撑底座，这是由一个凹形的脚底形状促成的。每个任务的理想刚度还取决于动态和静态稳定性的不同要求。基于步态力学的研究，形状和刚度都需要进行调整。本计画的具体目的为：1.设计并制作一具具可根据使用者活动状况，由电脑控制行走与站立模式的义肢原型，并测试其机械特性，如刚度、可调性、快速模式切换等。2.对原型假足对截肢者行走和站立的影响进行概念验证测试。 公共卫生相关性：下肢截肢者最常见的两个移动问题是不适和疲劳。佩戴假脚的人发现长时间站立或步行超过中等距离是不舒服的。这些问题部分是由于行走和站立具有不同的生物力学要求，这必须通过单个假脚来解决。我们建议开发一种计算机控制的假脚，可以根据用户的任务在不同的生物力学特性之间切换。假肢脚旨在提高站立的稳定性，减少行走时腿部的冲击力，并在日常生活中自动切换特征。这种技术可以改善截肢者的舒适度并减少疲劳。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term goal of this project is to develop prosthetic foot technology that can function differently for walking and standing tasks. Although current prostheses can be very effective for particular tasks (e.g. walking, running, or standing), an amputee must often choose a single prosthesis to achieve reasonably good performance across all daily activities. This results in a compromise, because the biomechanical demands of walking are different from those for standing. Because walking and standing are two of the most common functional tasks performed daily, a dual function prosthetic foot could switch between two biomechanical modes of behavior. The proposed biomechanical behaviors include different foot bottom shapes and stiffnesses for walking and standing. During walking, the foot effectively rolls over the ground, in a motion that is facilitated by a convex foot bottom shape. During standing, a stable base of support is needed, which is facilitated by a concave foot bottom shape. The ideal stiffness for each task also depends on the differing demands of dynamic and static stability. Based on studies of gait mechanics, both shape and stiffness should be adjusted for the task. The Specific Aims of this project are to: 1.To design and construct a prosthetic foot prototype with separate modes for walking and standing under computer control based on the user's activity, and test its mechanical characteristics such as stiffness, adjustability, and fast mode switching. 2. To perform proof-of-concept testing of the prototype prosthetic foot's effect on walking and standing in amputees. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The two most common mobility issues for lower limb amputees are discomfort and fatigue. Persons wearing prosthetic feet find it uncomfortable to stand for long periods or to walk more than moderate distances. These issues are in part due to the fact that walking and standing have different biomechanical demands, which must be addressed by a single prosthetic foot. We propose to develop a computer-controlled prosthetic foot that can switch between different biomechanical characteristics depending on the user's task. The prosthetic foot is intended to improve stability for standing, and reduce impact forces on the leg during walking, and to automatically switch between characteristics during daily life. Such technology may improve comfort and reduce fatigue for amputees.